The Seelie Curse

Chapter 88

At first, Rowan isn't sure that anything has happened. Then a lock of her hair slips in front of her face. She brushes it aside, then pauses at the sight. Her hair is bright as flame, familiar. Yet it bothers her, like it shouldn't be that bright. Her eyes widen as the reminders come flooding in.

Coillen put a glamour on her so that her hair wouldn't be this bright. For her to be seeing the brightness now, the glamour has to be gone. She stands there in shock for a heartbeat, and then everyone launches into motion.

Andrian steps closer to her and her father launches himself across the earth, pushing Rowan behind him to press her against Andrian's back. The members of the courts have moved towards them all at once, their eyes fixed on Rowan. The one who had been asking the questions glares at them both, incredulous.

"What is this, Forest King? Who is this human child and why have you tried to trick us?"

Coillen shifts again, blocking Rowan from sight even further, but that just serves to highlight hte truth to the courts. His hair mingles with Rowan's, almost the same shade. The only difference is the brightness to her hair that doesn't match his, but his eyes hold the same brightness as her hair does.

"Is she your child?!"

The truth-reader moves to touch Coillen, who flinches away. The truth-reader keeps moving, not stopping until he touches his hand to Coillen's skin. He turns to the rest of the courts after a moment.

"The girl is his daughter. His child by a human woman, grandaughter of the Seelie Lord the girl killed."

The Forest King launches into motion, pushing Rowan onto Andrian's back. He hisses at her, his eyes wide in fear.

"Go! Get home, you'll be safe there."

The moment Rowan is seated, Andrian launches into a gallop. But he isn't fast enough. Despite their fear of kelpies, the courts amass to block their path out of the clearing, sealing Rowan and Andrian inside with them. The rest of the trees are too close together to escape through, there is no way out.

Andrian carries Rowan back to her father and she slides off his back. With one hand holding a handful of flames, she reaches into her bag for her runestones with the other. Pain lances into her hands and she drops the stone back into her hand, clutching her wrist with the formerly flaming hand.

A glowing barb sticks out of her wrist and when Rowan turns her other hand over, it is the same. She reaches for the runestones again, but a second lance of pain flashes through her, this time on the other side of her wrist. Rowan bites back a sob and keeps moving, gripping one of the stones.

The next barb is right in the middle of the previous two and Rowan can't hold back her cry of pain this time. She pulls her wrist to her chest, cradling it with the other, slightly less painful arm. One of the Aos Sí grins maliciously at her, a pile of white shards glinting in his hands. They are the same as the barbs lying in her flesh.

Rowan wants to shrink back into Andrian's side, away from him, but she doesn't. When he moves to take a step towards her, more spikes in his hand, a shimmering barrier appears. Rowan glances towards her father to see his hand extended toward her, placing a barrier between Rowan and the rest of the clearing. The only thing that remains inside with her is Andrian, leaving even Coillen himself on the outside. The Aos Sí man snarls.

"What are you doing?"

"You will not harm her."

"She is human, weak. She holds no importance to you!"

Coillen levels a glare at the man. "I don't believe that. I am the king of the Unseelie. If I say she is not to be harmed, she shall not be harmed!"

The man bares his teeth. "Perhaps you are too weak to be our king! Destroy her and keep your power, or you shall be destroyed."

Several of the Aos Sí advance at once, splitting between Rowan and her father. The small groups heading for her father lunge forward, attacking him all at once. Distracted, the barrier protecting Rowan drops and the Aos Sí advance towards her.

Andrian trumpets and tries to block Rowan, kicking out at the Aos Sí coming at them from behind. One of the ones in front reaches for her. He is about to make contact when a wave sweeps out of her, blasting everyone away except for Andrian and her father. The leader of the assembled courts picks himself to his feet and gapes at Rowan.

"Was that defensive magic?"

Rowan pants, leaning against Andrian's side. Her legs feel as wobbly as those of a newborn fawn, the magic took so much energy out of her. Coillen watches the man for a moment before he turns to Rowan.

"Wait outside the clearing, Rae. Please."

"But they're blocking the way out."

"They won't any longer. Isn't that right, Manor?"

The leader nods after a moment and the crowd clears a path to the clearing entrance. Rowan reaches up to Andrian and tries to pull herself onto his back despite the shakiness of her legs. She manages it, but just barely, her weak arms only just managing to pull herself over his back. She swings her leg over and twists to look back at her father as Andrian plods out of the clearing and back into the sunlit woods.
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Is this what you thought would happen? What do you think they're going to discuss? What's going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out